Team bus was hit by bottles, cans and flares on way to Anfield
• Police will ‘find those responsible and put them before the courts’
Merseyside police have appealed for fans with mobile phone footage of the Manchester City coach being attacked before the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday to make it available in the hope of identifying culprits who threw bottles, cans and flares at the bus as it neared the stadium.
“We know many people were filming the events and we have made a dedicated email address available – team.coach.incident@merseyside.police.uk – so that footage can be reviewed to help find those responsible,” the match commander, Supt Paul White, said. “What should have been a celebratory event for thousands was spoiled by a small number of people who threw objects. These actions will not be tolerated and we will do everything in our power to find those responsible and put them before the courts.”
As far as City are concerned those words come a little late. A club spokesman said: “We believe there are questions to be asked of Merseyside police because there were enough warnings beforehand. What happened was avoidable and therefore unacceptable.”
Having been made aware of the likelihood of a hostile reception for the City bus the police changed the normal route as a precaution but then proceeded to allow details of the new route to be made public.
Liverpool apologised immediately for the actions of a minority of their fans and City are not seeking any further sanctions against the club, though privately they are understood to be upset that the police could not manage a basic level of security when they knew in advance that a disturbance was likely.
Uefa was monitoring the situation, and has opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool, charging the club in relation to the setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage and disturbance. The bus had at least one window smashed en route to the stadium and was deemed unusable for the return trip. The case will be dealt with by Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body at the end of next month.
The City coach Manuel Estiarte posted footage from inside the bus which shows objects hitting it. “No words. Unacceptable,” Estiarte wrote.
Footage obtained by the Spanish television station Gol showed Pep Guardiola getting off the bus, giving the thumbs up to stewards and saying sarcastically in Spanish “thanks for protecting us” and then “shame”.
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